Friends
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: Based on 'The Monster of Lake Kezia'.  Same  story  but  with  a  new  character,  Chris.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-This story that I'm writing is based of 'The Monster of Lake Kezia'. It's basically the same story but I'm adding a character for a birthday present and putting my own Sand ~N~ Sable spin on this!**

**Happy, happy birthday to Chris! **

Laura, Albert, Andy and Chris were laying on the ground with their stomachs stuffed from the fish they had just all caught. Chris was looking up at the sky thinking of her grand time since she came to Walnut Grove. She was Andy's cousin, her parents had sent her down here from International Falls for the summer, they went on a 'business vacation' but Chris knew better. The fights have come with regularity like the sun coming up and this trip was to try and keep the family together.

She came down scared but Andy, her favorite cousin had welcomed her with open arms and had introduced her to two great friends! Laura and Albert Ingalls. Albert was 12 and planning to be a doctor! Laura was older and going to be a teacher.

They were at the home of a great friend, Miss Kezia. Albert had just asked Kezia to tell them a story and she was telling them about the Loch Ness Monster! That catches Chris's attention and she hears Laura say,

"It's true, I heard about it in school"

Albert and Andy say something and Chris says,

"Shhh! I want to hear!"

Kezia tells them all about the monster then a man comes up in a buggy. Kezia does not look happy.

The kids stay back as the words is being spoken. Chris hears the words 'property tax' and she's not sure of what it is but her heart drops. Kezia will have to leave and Albert asks who would kick a old lady out? Who?


	2. Chapter 2 A idea for a scare

**Wow! I never expected this! 3 reviews!**

**Do you remember the scene in the show when Caroline was reading the story to Carrie, Albert and Laura and then later Albert got the idea for scaring Harriet? Didn't you ever wonder what was going on with Andy then? Well, in my story, you'll find out about what Andy and Chris were doing then. **

We were all dumbfounded, in shock! Kezia was going to lose her home because of property taxes! The man said that the person who bought the property was coming so we stood off to the side until the person came.

A horse and buggy came down and it was Harriet Olson! I didn't know much about her but from what all my new friends told me, she was no good!

After the shock wore off , Albert, Andy, Laura and I stood by a old tree while Albert was talking about how he couldn't believe what Harriet was doing. Laura could believe it she said and all Andy and I could do was look at each other.

Later that night, Andy and I asked his dad how somebody could do that to somebody and Uncle Jonathon shook his head sadly and said "I don't know" Andy asked another question and that just made our spirits go lower.

Then Uncle Jonathon asked Andy to go froggin', his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree! I was also happy and I asked hopefully if I could go! Uncle Jonathon said yes, then I heard him ask his wife something and I think she said 'She would just stay home with his friend' meaning the scary looking moose Uncle Jonathon put up over the fireplace.

The next day, our mood didn't get any better because we all went to the lake and saw how that nasty Harriet Olson was making Kezia work! Laura said that woman would work Kezia to death. We just left then, we still had no ideas and it was depressing watching Kezia work at her home like that.

Later that night, Andy and I were sitting at the kitchen table, really depressed when Uncle Jonathon comes in from the fields. Aunt Alice was in the kitchen fixing us supper when Andy's dad said,

"Listen, we don't you kids go have that cook out like you talked about?"

Andy looked at his dad and asked,

"You mean it, paw?"

Uncle Jonathon smiled and said,

"Sure, why not? And why don't you take your sleeping bags and camp out?"

Both of us jump up and holler,

"Yeah!"

Aunt Alice came out with her usual concerned face and asked,

"Jonathon? Are you sure?" "Alice, it will be out here in front of the barn, it's not like it's out in the woods"

She breathes easier and says,

"Oh, all right"

Andy and I went to get our sleeping bags out of Andy's room and raced out to get everything set up before Aunt Alice decided not to let us.

After we had the fire going pretty good, I said to Andy,

"I hope Albert and Laura can think of something"

I notice Andy's smile creeping longer inch by inch then I finally ask him,

"What?"

He then says,

"You like him…Albert, you said 'I hope Albert and Laura think of something'"

I cross my arms over my chest and I say,

"So?"

He just keeps smiling that irritating Andy smile and he says,

"I see how your eyes do when you see him, they get all melty…."

Embarrassed, I tell him,

"They do not! And I may be wearing a dress Andrew Garvey but if you say one more word, I'll come over there and punch you!"

He puts his hands up and says,

"Okay! Okay!"

We settle in to look at the fire and the beauty of it when Andy's maw comes out with some extra blankets for us. Andy just so happened to be fooling around with a small stick close to the fire and was pulling it out and she gasped and said,

"Andy Garvey! You put that right down! You don't play with fire!"

Andy sighs and says,

"Yes ma'am"

She puts the blankets down and says,

"I'm going back in, that will probably give me nightmares enough tonight"

She turns and leaves to go back in then when she is gone, Andy says,

"Did you see how she reacted to that?"

I shrug my shoulders and say,

"She was just being a worried mother"

He says,

"No, her _reaction_! She was scared and she left! It just got me to thinking….what if Harriet Olson got scared and left?"

A slow smile builds up in me and I say,

"Yeah!" "We'll talk about it with Albert and Laura tomorrow"

I nod my head and both look into the fire again with excitement instead of sadness then he says,

"I still say you like him"

_Wham!_ I threw a handful of dirt at him.

**A/N—I think I messed up on my grammar at the first part, if I did, I'm sorry.**


	3. Chapter 3 Chriestal Rose

Chris and Andy got their sleeping bags and were going to put them back in Andy's room, in his closet when they heard a knock on the door, Aunt Alice says,

"Come in!"

Laura comes in wearing her usual sunshine smile and holding a envelope and Aunt Alice says,

"Good morning Laura"

She waves to us and says,

"Good morning"

Alice says,

"Andy, Chris, go put your sleeping bags up in Andy's closet and then you can talk to Laura"

Together they say,

"Yes ma'am"

The two kids go to do that and Laura turns to Alice and says,

"I was coming to see Chris and Andy when Mrs. Foster stopped me and gave me this letter to bring, it's addressed to you but it's for Chris"

Alice turns to Laura and says,

"Oh, well, you can give it to her when she comes out"

Just then Chris steps out from Andy's room and asks,

"What's for me?"

Laura tells her,

"This letter, it's for you" "Me?" I ask.

Laura smiles and says,

"Well, I'm not sure, it says, 'Christiel Rose'"

I smile and say,

"That's me"

I take it from her and Andy comes out and Laura says,

"Albert's waiting for us out at Kezia's, I just came to get you both"

Alice looks at us then asks,

"Kezia's? I thought Mrs. Olson bought that"

Laura looks at us and she says,

"Well, yes but to us, it will always be Kezia's place"

Alice laughs then says,

"Well, don't let Mrs. Olson hear you call it that"

Andy says,

"Let's go!"

Chris speaks up and says,

"Wait, let me read my letter!"

Alice says,

"You can certainly wait for that Andy"

He looks sheepishly at the floor then asks Chris,

"Who's it from?"

Chris smiles and says,

"My maw, she's the only one who calls me by my full name and she only does that when she's feeling real good"

Laura asks,

"Christiel Rose huh? I like that"

Andy sighs then says,

"Oh, let's quit talking names and let's go!"

Chris folds up her letter and puts it on the kitchen table then says,

"Okay, I'm finished with it anyway"

They all start to run out the door when Aunt Alice says,

"Andy, Chris, I want that fire put out before you leave"

Andy says,

"It's all but out maw" "Well, you make sure!" says Aunt Alice.

"Yes ma'am"

After we go and all do a little Indian dance stomping out the ashes that were still burning, we run off for Kezia's, Andy was there and we all looked out with so much sadness. Albert went down and got Kezia, she was so happy to see us!

At first she was confused by our questions and our idea but she warmed up to it and after a full day of playing in the warm sunshine, we went to Albert and Laura's to get their dad's humongous bull horn and he wondered why we wanted it but Albert gave him some big yarn about Albert and Laura just wanting to show it to me, he bought it!

In reality, we just went to the bridge leading to Kezia's and we all sat down on the side and giggled and took turns blowing it to make monster sounds.

Kezia came to us a little while later, defeated because it didn't frighten Mrs. Olson at all.

She was going to give up but after she left, Albert came up with this idea of what if Mrs. Olson _saw_ things that would frighten her?

Oh, I never had this much fun in International Falls!

**A/N—I know that on the episode before Rose was born, Laura had a rose bought to her from Cassandra and that's how she came up with the name but what if Laura had heard the name earlier?**

**And I know in the show it just shows Albert blowing the horn but what if?**

**Chris has to have fun!**


	4. Chapter 4 The Moosehead

**A/N-In the last chapter, Chris's name is Christol. I had it spelled wrong, Sorry!**

**This chapter might be a short, quick one. It's leading up to the next one.**

The next day Laura and I went to the Olson Mercantile to buy supplies needed to build the 'monster'. I asked Laura what we were going to tell Mister Olson and she smiled and said 'Just leave it to me.'

When we got there, I was so nervous, my heart was skipping a beat, I was glad my new friend was doing the asking,

"Mister Olson?"

He turned and asked,

"Yes, Laura?"

She looked at me and said,

"We uh, have a summer science project we are working on and I was wondering if we could get some supplies?" "Well, what kind?" He asked.

She did some thinking and told him and he gladly put them in a box then Laura asked,

"If it's not too much trouble, some Roman candles?"

He gave us three and he looked at me and said,

"How about I give you four, for Chris. Since she won't be here"

I smiled and said,

"Oh, thank you Mister Olson!"

What a nice man!

Mister Olson says,

"I hope to hear about how your project does"

Laura smiles and says,

"Oh, you will!"

Laura and I leave with the box and we see Andy and Albert going to go get some wood over at the mill.

[

As we were walking to our tree house were we were going to build it so nobody would find out, we were talking about the head, how to do it. Albert was worried about that to make it look really scary.

I could see Andy's mind thinking then he suddenly said,

"I got a idea! Come on Chris!"

He put down the wood he was holding and we ran all the way back to the house. Aunt Alice was in the kitchen making bread. I was out of breath so I sat in the chair while Andy went to work on Aunt Alice.

"You're home early today Andy"

He looks at me then says,

"Maw, where's Paw?" "He went to Sleepy Eye to make a delivery" She told him.

He looks back at the moose head and I was getting his idea.

"Paw shouldn't have put that up there"

Aunt Alice made a grunting sound and said,

"I told him not to"

He looks at me then says.

"Why don't we take it down?"

I could see Aunt Alice liked that idea then Andy said,

"We can always put it back later...it's your house too Ma"

That got her! She told Andy with a gleam in her eye,

"You're absolutely right! Andrew, take it down!"

Andy then turned to me and said,

"Come on Chris! Help me!"

We took that old moose head down and Aunt Alice didn't care what we did with it.

I don't think she would have cared but like Albert said earlier about the adults finding out, we couldn't take that chance.

[

The next day, we stripped down to our underwear for a little 'swim'. Only this wasn't any old swim, we were at Kezia's and we were going to SCARE the Olson's!

Laura and I got four weeds for air horns and we went over to where the boys were. Albert assigned each of them who to get and he said,

"Chris, you go right up behind each one and bite them again so they can have a real scare!"

We were all grinning from ear to ear. Willie and Nellie were splashing in the water, and we carefully swam out there. Albert bit Nellie, I leaped like a vampire frog behind him and bite her a little harder then quickly did the same to Willie after Andy got him.

Laura got Mrs. Olson and I did a mad dash and got her little toe just as she pulled it out of the water. We swam up under the deck really quickly as to hide.

We were laughing so hard that it was hard to keep ourselves quiet so they wouldn't hear us but Nellie and Willie were screaming so loud that it wasn't hard!

Later that night after I built us a fire to warm our clothes up by, we took turns blowing that old bull horn again!

Later in the next day, Laura tells us that Willie went to town and got the gun from Mister Olson but he filled it with blanks! Whew!

**A/N-In the show, Mister Olson only gave Laura 3 fireworks but I think kind old Mister Olson would give a extra one to Chris, don't you?**


	5. Chapter 5 Bringing the Monster to life

We got the costume ready just in time for the first night of the full moon. Laura and I got in the head part of the costume, that thing was so big that it needed two people to hold it up! Plus so I could do the candles, we had decided to just use two, Andy was in the stomach part of the costume and Albert in the rear.

We quietly tiptoed in the water and thankfully it was warm water that night. Laura and I were giggling so much that Andy splashed some water on us to just to get us quiet! We had made a special pouch in the tail part so Albert could blow the horn and he did and that's when a few seconds after that, the real fun began!

Mrs. Olson and her kids came out of the house, Mrs. Olson had the shotgun and the kids were clinging to her like glue. I guess in her fright she forgot she had the shotgun because she was just yelling,

"Shoot it! Kill it!"

,Nellie then yelled,

"You're got the gun!"

Mrs. Olson aimed the shotgun and when she did, I got ready to light the candles and when she 'blasted' the monster, I lit the candles and sparks were shooting out. She started yelling,

"It's no good!..."

She didn't realize that Nellie had already taken off like a rabbit and then Willie and when she realized it, she threw down the gun and started running herself!

Laura then said a few minutes later that it was okay, they were halfway to Walnut Grove!

So we threw off our costumes and ran inside to Kezia! We were hugging and laughing when suddenly the door flew open and we heard this moaning and groaning. Was there really a monster in the lake? We just stood there with our hearts pounding.

A second later, his hands came up and it was Mister Olson! He said,

"I came up here to see what all the fuss was about and I got to laughing so hard that I fell in the lake!"

We started laughing with relief and joy and Laura asked,

"You won't tell on us will you?"

He threw his hand up and said,

"Never! Oh, never!"

We were all still laughing when Kezia invited him to supper.

"Won't you stay and have some supper? We're having fish…a rather large fish, a enormous fish!"

We didn't stop laughing until after we finished eating.

**A/N—I know this was the end of the show but for my story, I'm going to add one more chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6 Tracy

Later that night, after we ate our 'enormous' fish, I built a fire outside for all of us to dry our underwear, we had extra's of coarse and clothes but how would we explain wet underwear to our parents? And while the clothes were drying, Kezia and I set off the other two Roman candles to celebrate. Oh, it was such great fun!

We were all so excited to sleep so after Mister Olson left, we just sat around telling each other stories all night! Yes, Kezia did re-tell us the tale of the Loch Ness Monster!

We all finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning.

The next day, Laura and Albert went back to their house and Andy and I went back to ours. We went barreling in and Aunt Alice said,

"Shut the door!"

We looked back and sure enough, we forgot it open. I went back to shut it and Aunt Alice said,

"Chris, you have another letter"

I got excited at that and said,

"I do?"

Aunt Alice said,

"Yes, it's from your maw again, go on, read it"

I ran over to the table to get it and Uncle Jonathon asked Andy,

"How was your camp out with Laura and Andy?"

Andy and I looked at each other and smiled and Andy said,

"Oh, it was the best!"

I fastened my eyes to the letter and Maw said,

'_Dear Christol Rose,_

_Things are going so well for your father and I that we have decided to come home from our 'business vacation.' We are wiring money to your Aunt Alice and Uncle Jonathon to put you on the stage to Tracy. Tracy is not far from Walnut Grove and that is where your grandma and grandpa live, we would have sent you there but they have been down as of late but we have received word they are better._

_Grandma's birthday was Feb. 11__th__, do wish her a very late birthday. And they have a dairy farm that you will love Christol. I can't wait to see you, I miss you so much,_

_Love, Maw and Paw'_

I folded the letter up and put it back in the envelope and jumped up and said,

"Guess what!"

Aunt Alice and Uncle Jonathon laughed and he said,

"You became a jack rabbit!"

We all laughed and Aunt Alice said,

"Honey, we got the wire from your parents, we know they want you to go to your grandparents…what are their names? Bert and….Gil…"

Jonathon laughs then says,

"Everybody calls her Gillie. Don't tell anybody but she fell in the creek with a bunch of

Gill head fish is what I heard"

We laugh then Aunt Alice says,

"Wait a minute, we are putting her on a stage to Tracy? By herself?"

Uncle Jonathon says,

"Tracy is only a day away by stage"

Aunt Alice got that look on her face then said,

"I don't care! We are NOT letting that child get on a stage by herself to Tracy!"

Andy asks,

"Then how will she get there Maw?"

Aunt Alice looks at Jonathon and he smiles then says,

"We'll take her, it'll be a good family trip"

Both Andy and I yell and jump up and down.

Uncle Jonathon then says,

"Why don't you two go play with Albert and Laura? We'll leave at the last of the week"

We didn't waste time. I wanted to go play with Albert and Laura as much as I could.

Hmmm, Albert? Maybe I do like him.

**A/N—Well, that's it. I hope everyone enjoyed it~**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the real Chris. I hope you enjoyed your present.**


	7. Chapter 7 Dairy Farm

**A/N-I know I said in my last chapter that it was supposed to be the last chapter but I had this idea and had to write it down! Enjoy!**

At the last of the week, we all got in the wagon and started on our trip to Tracy.

Uncle Jonathon had to take off from work and asked Laura and Albert's paw to watch over the place, even though he would probably be back before the weekend was over.

I was sad to leave Laura and Albert, they had become two of my best friends ever. But I was so excited to see Maw and Paw and my grandparents who I haven't seen since I was little.

We stopped and camped for the night when nightfall came and Uncle Jonathon told me that we would be at the dairy farm a few hours after we woke up.

We built a fire and this time Uncle Jonathon built it then Andy and I played around until Aunt Alice put us to bed which I thought was too early but she said, the sooner I went to sleep, the sooner morning would come so I quickly went to sleep.

The next morning, we got up and with excitement growing, crawled in the wagon.

After about a hour of riding, Andy and I got out and walked alongside for the last five miles. We stopped in town to get directions and we went out to the farm on the outskirts of town.

When we reached the farm, we stopped at the gate and the sign said—'The best little Dairy Farm in Minnesota! Owners, Paul and Gill Lay'- Uncle Jonathon looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said,

"We had the name of your grandmother right, why didn't you tell us your grandpa was Paul?"

I giggled and said,

"Honestly? I couldn't remember either, I never knew his first name. Always been grandpa to me"

Aunt Alice and Uncle Jonathon smiled and he made a clicking noise for the horses to move on and we went in.

Maw, Pa, Grandma and Grandpa came out to meet us and maw hugged me so tight, I thought I would burst! We all exchanged our hellos and how do's Then maw asked Aunt Alice,

"Why didn't you put her on the stage?"

Aunt Alice said,

"By herself? NO! Anyway, it was a good pleasant trip and a good excuse to get together"

My grandfather said,

"Yep, not too many of us Lays or Garvey's left"

My grandmother then said,

"Come on inside, we'll have some nice lemonade that I made"

Andy asks them,

"Can Chris and I go looking around? This is my first time here" "Can we maw?"

I ask.

The grownups laugh and grandpa says,

"You go on and I'll show the young'un's around"

They all go inside to drink their lemonade and grandpa shows her around and Andy asks,

"How many cows are here Mister Lay?"

Grandpa says,

"Around 40, that's all we can handle right now. But you call me grandpa, that's what they all call me around here so will you"

Andy smiles and says,

"Yes sir!"

We go to the cows, and Andy and I go around each one and my grandpa can tell you something about every one!

Then something funny happened, grandpa let me and Andy milk two of them! It was so neat! When I first sat down, I was nervous about it, being from International Falls, I have never milked one, I just drank the milk maw poured out for us every morning and that was it so when I grabbed one of the udders, I, uh, turned it up and milk squirted in my eye!

Andy laughed and when he did it to the other cow, the cow kicked the bucket then swift as a fox, kicked Andy's stool out from other him and it was my turn to laugh!

Then later, near about evening time, this hand on the farm came up to grandpa and he said,

"Mister Lay, I got all the cows in for the night and fresh hay for them. If you don't mind, I'm going on home"

Grandpa says,

"That's fine son, but come here for a second, I'd like to introduce you to my granddaughter and a friend of hers…Chris, Andy, this is Wayne Larson, on of my newest and best hands around here"

He comes up out of the shadows to shake our hands and he is a boy of about 16 and he looks a lot like Albert ( at least to me )

We smile and shake hands. I know right then and there this IS the best summer ever!

**This is the end! Ha! This has been a blast to write and I love all my reviewers and give a big old giant bear of a hug to each of you!**


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